Taft was born July 9, 1909 in Henrietta, Texas to Henry Lafayette Smith and Elizabeth Lucinda Pippin. His parents settled on a farm on Hickory Creek when he was five. He had three sisters and eight brothers. He married when he was twenty-one years old and was a farmer all his life. His farm was 157 acres, with 65 acres used for cultivation. They made their living by milking cows and raising chickens and hogs

Taft was unable to join the service because of his occupation. During the war, rationing, especially gasoline, caused some obstacles for their livelihood, but they were able to get by because of the farm. He discusses equipment, selling milk, raising cattle, trying to grow cotton, how county agricultural agent, Mr. Warren showed him how to terrace hillsides, build stock tanks, and plant fruit trees. The different fertilizers that they used, the farm's economic outlook, products, the market, growing feed, grinding his own corn, insect damage, labor, scrap iron drives, retread tires, electricity, and using animal fat to make soap and feed sacks to makes their clothes.

Near the last 5-10 minutes of the interview, Ruth Monschke asks Taft's wife, Nona Geneva McGailliard Smith, some questions about rationing, canning and preserving, getting injured in the dairy by a cow, their children, being a leader in 4-H with their children, nylon hose shortage, transportation issues, and sharing their food with neighbors and family.